Super Veggie Delight #44

Obviously, I was at a loss as to what to call this dish.

When I started making it, I had no plan other than using up a good chunk of my (no less than) three pints of grape tomatoes that I somehow accumulated over the past week or so, and somehow incorporating kidney beans, which I had an inexplicable craving for.


Is this is a stew? Probably. Ladle it over brown rice, and you've got yourself a one-way ticket to Healthytown. I was too lazy to make brown rice, which takes an irritating 45 minutes, so I just served it up with some whole wheat pita triangles and a good dollop of fat free Greek yogurt (another craving heeded). I actually set out to top it with sour cream, which I bought at my nearby market, but when I got the sour cream home and opened it up - mind you, I love sour cream so much that my mouth was watering throughout this entire excruciating 45 second process - it was moldy!

Drats.

I improvised by mixing the yogurt with a little lemon juice and salt, which comes sort of close to tasting like sour cream (anyway, it's healthier, so I guess I did the right thing).

Since I am still not sure what this is, I have deemed it Super Veggie Delight #44 (because there have surely been at least 43 previous dishes that could be called Super Veggie Delight #1-43).


Anyway, while not the most well-thought-out or impressive of my meals by far, it was quite tasty. It satisfied my odd bean-and-yogurt craving, it was healthy and protein-rich, and it was simple to make (a one-pot meal). Over rice, with the right spices (my spice cabinet is embarrassingly barren at the moment), this could translate to a great vegetarian jambalaya of sorts.

Throw in some andouille sausage and shrimp, and who knows - you might have something befitting the name "Super Creole Meat Delight #29."

SUPER VEGGIE DELIGHT #44

INGREDIENTS

1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
2 small onions, diced
1 red chile pepper, seeded and chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 can diced no-salt-added tomatoes
1 medium zucchini
1 can dark red kidney beans
handful red lentils
salt and pepper
2 T. cumin
pinch saffron
fresh chopped parsley

a couple spoonfuls of Greek yogurt
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt
whole wheat pita triangles (optional; try brown rice, couscous, or bulgur for serving)

STEP ONE:

Heat the olive oil and butter in a pretty big saucepan. Saute the onion for a few minutes, then add the grape tomatoes and chile pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent.

STEP TWO:

Add the rest of the ingredients, cover, and cook until the lentils are tender. Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, yogurt, and salt in a small bowl. Serve with a carb of your choice, top with yogurt sauce, and enjoy!

Thanks for reading! More soon...